Efforts at ‘Sanatanisation’ needs to be resisted: Seer

There have been continued efforts to impose a Sanatan heritage on folk history and culture and people need to resist such attempts at “Sanatanisation” of our native cultures, Sharat Chandra Swami of Kunduru Math in Vijayapura has said.

He was speaking at the release of a compendium of the complete works of the late M.M. Kalburgi, scholar, at the Fa. Gu. Halkatti Research Centre in Vijayapura on Saturday.

“We should never forget that India is a land of multi-faith groups, multiple cultures, languages and regions. But there are some vested interests who are trying to deny this fact and trying to claim that only one thought process is right and the rest are not. I call this an attempt at ‘Sanatanisation.’ Such efforts should be resisted in an academic manner,” he said, adding that there was a need to identify such trends.

“We need protect and preserve the schools of thought that remain brave in the face of intimidation.”

The seer described Kalburgi as a fearless crusader and a dynamic researcher who studied history and picked lessons for today. “India is a country that had a rich legacy of conversations,” he said, regretting the loss of this culture.

Demand for justice

Mahantesh Biradar, secretary of the research centre, demanded swift justice in the case of the killing of Kalburgi in 2015 in Dharwad.

“The investigation into the killing should not stop at those involved in the offence; it should identify those who are behind the conspiracy of brainwashing young people and provoking them into doing such things,” he said.

Siddalinga Pattanshetti, writer and a close associate of Kalburgi, recalled the methodology of the late scholar. “He lived by his principles. Some vested interests tried to erase him from our memories, but they failed,” he said.

M.B. Patil, Minister and BLDE chairman, said BLDE would bring out an international edition of an introductory volume about the life and contribution of Basavanna. He appreciated Kalburgi‘s deeper understanding of “Lingayatism” and skill of simplifying complicated issues.